1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an adjustable surfing fin, which enables a surfer to adjust the fin's flexibility in order to achieve different surfing experiences.
2. Description of Related Art
Many watersports and aquatic activities use water-borne vessels having fins or keels beneath the surface of the vessel, adapted to allow steering of the vessel. Surfboards, windsurfing boards, and numerous other aquatic vessels use fins attached beneath the vessel in order to adjust or use the water flow beneath the vessel for steering and/or stability.
The characteristics of the fin, such as its level of flexibility, its size, its curves and its surface area all affect the water flow beneath the vessel and how the vessel reacts to steering operations.
Due to variability in the conditions of the high seas and different personal preferences of surfers, various fins have been developed in order to affect water flow differently, and thus to steer vessels differently and create different surfing experiences.
Surfboards manufactured today provide a base beneath the board, upon which a desired fin may be reversibly mounted. If a surfer desires a different fin, as a result of changing conditions or a different surfing style, the attached fin must be dismounted, and an alternative fin be mounted in its stead. Thus, a surfer wishing to change the flexibility or any other attribute of their fin must not only spend time and effort replacing a fin every time they wish to change their surfing experience, they must also carry around alternate/replacement fins. This may be true every time a surfer goes to surf, partially due to the inability to predict which fin they will need during the entirety of the surfing session.
Additionally, the surfer may not notice the unsuitability of their fin until reaching a certain distance from shore (e.g. where the waves are peaking), which would then require them to return to shore in order to replace said fin. Acquiring a set of fins for different surfing experiences may be expensive, as well as bulky when traveling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,896,570 B1 describes a fin for a watersport board, which includes a substantially rigid core covered by a flexible core covering.
EP 79,113 A1 describes a fin for buoyant support suitable for a surf board, dinghy or wind sailing board or the like, formed of a resiliently flexible material such as solid urethane, reinforced with a stiffening insert which incorporates means for attachment to the surf board or the like.
What is common to the above inventions is that the fin allows for a fixed degree of flexibility and must be replaced every time a different flexibility is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,496 describes a novel fin for surfboards and watercraft that includes a pivoting rudder-like section that swings out when a turn is commenced, enhancing the maneuverability of the surfboard by reducing the resistance of the fin as it moves sideways through the water in a turn and by redirecting the water flow through the pivoting rudder section in the direction of the turn. Although said fin does provide left-right maneuverability, it does not provide the ability to change other aspects, such as flexibility, of the fin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,970 discloses a fin which is able, given the material that is used in its manufacturing process, to provide extra flexibility. This invention, however, relates to a fin manufactured by a specific process, and does not providing different levels of flexibility.
WO 2,011,143,695 describes a fin for a surf craft. Said fin is able, given the material that is used in its manufacturing process, to provide extra flexibility. This invention however does not providing different levels of flexibility.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,896,718 describes a keel or fin for a watercraft such as a surfboard that is conventional in shape with a major portion fixed to the board by peg and a minor, flexible, trailing portion fixed to the major portion. This invention however relates to a single adjustable fin which is comprised of an adjustable piece attached to it, giving it minimal flexibility.
None of the methods found provide for variable flexibility, and hence an improved method for variable flexibility in a surfing fin is still a long felt need.